McNeill murder case ends in plea bargain

Nathan McNeill will serve 25 years in prison for the Feb. 1, 2013, murder of Imeer Waddell.

Jeff Brownjeff.brown@doverpost.com@DoPoJeff

A Kent County murder trial has come to an end midway through the proceedings with the defendant accepting a plea deal.

Nathan McNeill, 45, of Dover, was accused in the 2013 murder of 18-year-old Imeer Devonyae

Waddell outside the Whatcoat Village apartment complex in the city.

Witnesses said Waddell and others were sitting on the steps outside one of the buildings just before 11:30 p.m. Feb. 1, 2013, when a dark car drove by; the car made a U-turn, then stopped in front of the group. Several shots were fired before the car was driven off.

Waddell was hit in the head, and died the following morning at Bayhealth-Kent General Hospital.

A 19-year-old man, whose name was not released, was shot in the arm.

McNeill was arrested Feb. 14 following a Dover Police investigation, and was charged with first-degree murder, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession of a firearm by a person prohibited, second-degree assault, five counts of reckless endangering and criminal mischief.

“The Dover Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Unit worked endless hours and conducted a thorough investigation to build a solid case against Mr. McNeill despite a lack of cooperation at times with some of the witnesses in the case,” Hoffman said.

“The department respects today’s plea agreement and is pleased that the victim’s family finally received some closure in this case.”

McNeill’s trial in Kent County Superior Court began March 11.

In accepting the plea deal, McNeill pled guilty to second-degree murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

Superior Court Judge William L. Witham Jr. sentenced McNeill to serve 20 years in prison on the murder charge, and five years on the possession charge.